Death is only the Beginning
by Mystic Celtic Lady
Summary: When Hermione dies it is up to Severus to pick up the pieces, learning to live all over again. But he also needs to learn how to love, can his children and friends convince him to take another chance on love?
1. The Rain

Disclaimer: I own nothing, and it all belongs to JK Rowling. Damnit and it was such a nice fantasy!

AN: this is my first story so i hope it won't be too bad, if it is oh well. But I have no beta so any mistakes you can find let me know and I will try to fix them! Thanks and on with the story!

Professor Severus Snape, Potions Master, and Teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, known for being emotionless and cold felt the last piece of his heart slowly slip away from him as the tears rolled down his face. The thud of the dirt hitting the coffin made him flinch, and as the casket disappeared from view the tears became a flood as he fell to his knees beside the grave of his wife, his life, Hermione Granger. The rain dripped down his face to mingle with his tears. Looking up into the sky Severus saw the black and blue bruised looking clouds as they belched their contents onto the earth below. It had been raining since she died, it was almost like the earth was mourning for what the world had lost. 

Looking over Severus saw Harry Potter and his wife looking lost and sad, losing their best friend had sobered them, reminding them of their mortality, their weaknesses. Their tears angered him, for when had they stood by her? When had they accepted her for who she was, Severus Snapes' wife. They had shunned her the moment she had told them, and he and Ronald Weasley were left to pick up the pieces. 

Ronald was standing to the left of Severus, a friend, for that is what he had become. Severus had learned over the years that Ron could be counted on for anything, his infamous temper had calmed, but his rage was legendary. Harry and Ginny had found that out the hard way.

A soft touch on his arm made him look to his right, where his little girl, his pride and joy, daddys little girl stood, looking for all the world like her mother. She was only 5, and she no longer had a mother. Her only sibling was currently at St. Mungos in the neonatal intensive care unit fighting for his life, while his mothers had slipped away. 

"Daddy what bout Sammy?" That simple sentence pulled him out of the pit that he had been sliding into. He still had two children that needed him, and he had his best friends to help him. Standing up he picked up his little girl wiped away the tears from her face, and turned to the only people he could truly count as best friends.

"Draco, Lucius, Ronald, lets go bring my little boy home."


	2. The Question

AN: wow updated within two hours of the first one! Sorry they are so short! Next one will be much longer! And have a paint fight! YAY!

Disclaimer: My puppy ate the owners papers for Harry Potter...oh well I guess I had to give them back sometime. Damnit!

The staff at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries knew better then to get in the way of the 4 wizards currently stalking down the hall. The two Malfoys were the richest wizards in the world, and they knew it. They could do almost anything and go almost anywhere, and no one was foolish enough to get in their way. The wizards they were with at the moment were just as well known for entirely different reasons. All four of them were very famous war veterans Draco, Lucius, and Severus being spies for the war. Dumbledore and Harry Potter had vouched for them. And Ronald Weasley was the most famous Unspeakable to date, along with the best. After the falling out with Harry Potter over Hermione Snape, Ron had decided not to become an Auror and the Unspeakables approached him about a job.

Healer Hedlin rushed to the neonatal unit upon hearing that Severus Snape was requesting to speak to her. She was the best in the business, and had learned not to get emotionally attached to the patients, although they did come first. Yet for all her self- control she couldn't help but develop a soft spot for Severus. He was the youngest person to ever get his Potions Mastery, that alone earning him a healthy amount of respect, but to be the one to invent the Wolfsbane potion was astronomical, making him a celebrity instantly. He served any and all werewolves who came to him, even going so far as to donate large amounts of leftover potion to stores for them to give away. He was known for being very generous, even more so after he married, Hermione was a good influence according to his customers. She could only hope that he could grieve and move on in a healthy way, and not succumb to the temptation to go join his love, though knowing Severus as she has she had no doubt that his children would help him, and keep him sane.

"Severus. How have you been?" He was relieved that she didn't ask about the funeral, but Hedlin was a very smart person, and knew when to keep her silence.

"I am doing as well as can be expected. How is my son doing? Any changes?"

Still the same Severus, the world could be ending and all he would care about would be his children. Still she responded, "He is doing good, we were able to take him off the respirator, and heart monitor, he is getting the iv taken out as we speak and he should be ready to go home in about three days. I suppose you don't have anything ready though?" she asked when Severus face went from happy to surprised to a little nervous in about five seconds flat. And knowing how good he is at hiding his emotions, he must truly be panicked.

"Hermione …' here he broke off and paled, swallowing he tried again 'Hermione was…' and again he couldn't get past her name, once more he tried 'Hermione wanted…' but he couldn't say it. Lucius stepped in at that point to rescue him.

"Hermione was going to wait until he was born to decorate the room, she felt that it would be tempting fate to decorate it while she was having so much trouble carrying him." He said smoothly, his voice cracking slightly on her name.

"Well why don't you go and get that all set up, Samuel won't even be conscious until late tonight, you can come back here then. By the way Severus where is Lily?"

Severus turned completely so she could see his arms, and there nestled into his shoulder was little Lily fast asleep in her beloved fathers arms. She was a precocious child even at 5, with Severus' black as night hair and eyes, she looked just like him, but she got her mother's smarts. The only thing that she got from neither one of them was her love of pranks, which her Uncle Ron encouraged as much as 

possible. With that Severus and his friends turned and left, just as they reached the door Lily's head popped up and with a tear running down her face she asked her father one heartbreaking question,

"When is mommy coming home from heaven? I miss her."


	3. The Greif

Disclaimer: Well I could say they are mine (looks around furtively and whispers) but then those guys with big white coats come

Disclaimer: Well I could say they are mine (looks around furtively and whispers) but then those guys with big white coats come and put me in a white room!!

AN: So three chapters in two days, I'm doing pretty well for not having written before!! So in this one there is a paint fight, someone gets caught without their clothes on…. Well I don't want to spoil it for you!

This first point is from the perspective of Severus' mind. Be prepared!! It is very sad!!

Severus rolled over his arm sliding over, hoping to get in a morning kiss before Lily woke up. When his arm didn't encounter the form of his wife he cracked open his eyes. She wasn't there; her side didn't even look slept in. Suddenly everything from the previous day came rushing back. His wife, his beloved, was gone. He had buried her, and nothing he could do was going to bring her back. The tears started running down his face, dripping off his chin and falling to the covers. She would never look at him again; he would never smell her sweet perfume. Never joke or laugh with her again. He felt the hole in his heart grow as he realized that he was now truly alone. He would never have her there to help with the children; she would never see them grow up. He felt the place where his heart used to be growing cold and empty as he realized that she would never be there to love him ever again.

He sat there in his misery for quite some time, letting his tears run down his face until they finally dried up just as there came a soft knock on his bedroom door. It slowly inched open as he sat there wallowing in his misery. His daughter poked her head around, and even from this distance he could see the tears on her face.

"Come here honey, what's wrong? Did you have a nightmare? Or are you just missing mommy?" His daughter crawling up into his lap gave him the chance to wipe away the traces of tears from his face.

"I miss mommy, when is she coming home? Doesn't she love us anymore?" His daughter's innocent questions made the tears that threatened almost become a reality. But he pushed the grief that welled up away, at this moment his daughter needed him, not a blubbering mess.

"Lily sweetheart; when someone goes to heaven, they don't come back. Mommy is with the angels right now, looking down on us." But apparently that was the wrong thing to say to her for she just cried harder.

"But I want mommy!! Why can't she come home!! Doesn't she love me anymore? Was I a bad girl?"

"No sweetheart, mommy loves you very much. Heaven just needed her because there are kids up there who don't have mommies."

"But what about me? Now I don't have a mommy!"

"Sweetheart that's why I am still here, so that maybe one day you can have a new mommy." Severus didn't think that was going to happen ever but he had to at least give her some hope. And just like that she showed the resilience of a five year old by completely forgetting about it and running off to find Snickers. Poor Snickers her house elf wouldn't know what to do with the rambunctious girl, at least not at this moment. She was still a little young for her to be taking care of Lily full time, but Hermione chose her so that's how it will stay. He never could go against his wife, and he wouldn't start now.

After performing his morning routine he went in search of Lily, he figured by now that Snickers would need some help in curtailing her more dangerous stunts. Getting to her room the first thing he heard was Snickers' squeaky voice saying a very familiar phrase.

"Miss Lily, Miss Lily, you is not to be doing that!! You is getting in trouble!!" Snickers was definitely a little too young to handle his daughter, as soon as possible he was going to replace her, or maybe just get her some help. Going into the room, he decided that snickers would be getting a helping hand immediately. Lily had somehow managed to climb up the wardrobe, across the top canopy of her four- poster bed, and onto the ceiling light. Which was swaying precariously and looking like it was about to fall down any second.

"Lily Aurora Delilah Snape!! You will come down here right now or so help me I will come get you myself!! And if I have to come get you, there will be big consequences young lady!" Severus voice boomed through the house jolting everyone out of bed. Ron cursed as he fell out of bed. Then just rolled over and pulled the covers over his head grabbing a pillow as he went, falling asleep instantly. Draco however just rolled over not even showing any signs of life. Lucius jumped and cut himself with the blade. Throwing down the towel he marched out of the room fully prepared to yell at his best friend for making him mar his beautiful face. Completely forgetting that he was stark naked from his shower.

Storming down the stairs however Lucius came face to face with a brightly blushing Nymphradora Tonks, her hair turning bright red in surprise and embarrassment. Lucius looking down and realizing his state; did something very unlike a Malfoy. He jumped, turned bright red, and bolted for his room. Coming to a stop just inside his room, he gulped for air as he wished for someone to Obliviate the last few minutes from his life. Sure Tonks was beautiful, so were many other RICH women, besides he didn't want to get married again. Once was enough for a lifetime, marriage to that harridan of a woman would be enough to scar any man for life. Luckily for him she died on the battlefield with Voldemort, being his _personal_ whore she went anywhere he did, including the grave. But not before she had the chance to abort at least three of his children over her lifetime. She had said once was enough and she wanted nothing more to do with Draco or him. But Nymphradora, she made him nervous. Not only because of her attitude and clumsiness, but because of the way she made him feel. He had never felt like this before, and he wasn't too sure he wanted to try it, once was enough of a risk for him thank you very much. But still she has shown no signs of being anything like her aunt, and when she had heard about what Narcissus had done, well let's just say that it was a good thing Narcissa was dead already. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad, courting Nymphradora; he would have to find out. Let the games begin. So with that in mind, Lucius began to get ready for the day, a smirk on his face, and downstairs a clumsy metamorphmagus waited, unaware of what was going to happen.

AN – Sorry for not getting into too much Severus and family, and yes next chapter will have the paint fight, my friends were just really bugging me to put this one up, so I didn't have a chance to put it in. Yes Nymphradora will be in the paint fight, and yes you will get to see what happened to Lily. Also Samuel will make his first appearance next chapter!! YAY!! Review and read!!


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